CORE UNIT 3
Unit title
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS (MPAs)
Unit value
40 hours
Unit description
This core unit introduces and develops theoretical and practical aspects of Marine
Protected Area management with reference to local case studies and a significant
fieldwork component. The final section of this unit focuses on the various marine
habitat restoration techniques.
Summary of learning outcomes
To achieve this unit a learner must:
1.
Comprehend the concepts involved in the establishment of MPAs
2.
Understand subject-specific principles, theory and practice related to management of
MPAs
3.
Carry out specific habitat restoration techniques
Summary of the content for each learning outcome
1.
2.
Establishment of Marine Protected Areas
MPAs theory
definition, types and categories of MPAs (including
reserves for species/habitat), aims and objectives,
benefits
Establishment of MPAs
design and zonation, effectiveness of protected areas,
levels of protection, legislation and enforcement
Management of Marine Protected Areas
1
.
3.
Long term monitoring
programmes
importance of monitoring programmes in improving
management, designing a monitoring programme
(resource and capacity limit, appropriate indicators),
types of monitoring programmes (habitats, fisheries,
physical conditions, socio-economic)
Surveillance and enforcement
compliance issues, equipment for surveillance,
surveillance tasks (i.e. respect of regulations and
legislation, fees and licenses paid etc.), understanding
the wider national legal framework, stakeholder
involvement, training and appropriate behavior
User conflicts
types of conflicts, conflict resolution methods, steps in
resolving a conflict
Stakeholder consultations
and the participatory
approach to management
levels of participation,
participatory techniques
Infrastructure
construction vs. environment, main building and
facilities, planning buildings (i.e. location, size, design,
construction material etc.)
Management structures
strengths and weaknesses, co-management, community
based management, top down/bottom up
Financial planning and
management
various funding sources (i.e. trust funds, grant
proposals writing, volunteer schemes, user fees),
budgets, accounting, financial plans
Evaluating success
interest in marine protected area
effectiveness evaluation, methodology
identifying
stakeholders,
management
Habitat restoration
Choosing a restoration
technique
identifying aims and objectives, target area, ecological
and logistical considerations, costs and benefits
Carrying out a restoration
technique
coral transplant, mangrove and seagrass reseeding
Assessment criteria for each learning outcome
Learning outcomes
Assessment criteria
To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate
the ability to:
1.
Comprehend the concepts
involved in the
establishment of MPAs
2.
Understand subject-specific
principles, theory and practice
related to management of
MPAs
3.
Carry out specific habitat
restoration techniques

Appreciate the importance of MPAs

Give examples of the factors involved in setting
up an MPA

Appreciate the importance of long term
monitoring programmes

Show capacity to build a management plan from a
hypothetical case study

Plan a habitat restoration project

Appreciate the importance of ecological and
logistical considerations for habitat restoration

Perform at least one habitat restoration technique
proficiently
Resources
appropriate expedition and biological survey equipment, black/whiteboard,
computer and projector, program CDs
Suggested reading
Marine Protected Areas
Establishment of Marine Protected Areas
International news and analysis on Marine
Protected Areas:
http://depts.washington.edu/mpanews/
Management of Marine Protected Areas
Evaluating success
Pomeroy RS et al. (2004) How is your MPA doing?:
A guidebook of natural and social indicators for
evaluating Marine Protected Area management
effectiveness. IUCN, 215p.
Pomeroy RS et al. (2005) How is your MPA doing?
A methodology for evaluating the management
effectiveness of marine protected areas. Ocean
and Coastal Management 48(7-8):485-502
Financing MPAs
Restoration
Bosire JO et al. (2008) Functionality of restored
mangroves: A review. Aquatic Botany 89(2):251259
Ellison AM (2001) Mangrove restoration: Do we
know enough? Restoration Ecology 8(3):219-229
Kairo JG et al. (2001) Restoration and
management of mangrove systems – a lesson
for and from the East African region. South
African Journal of Botany 67:383-389
Levy LSG et al. (2008) Fixed and suspended coral
nurseries in the Philippines: Establishing the first
step in the “gardening concept” of reef
restoration. Journal of Experimental Marine
Biology and Ecology 358(1):86-97
Lewis III RR and Gilmore RG (2007) Important
considerations to achieve successful mangrove
forest restoration with optimum fish habitat.
Bulletin of Marine Science 80(3):813-837
Precht WF (2006) Coral Reef Restoration
Handbook. CRC Press, 363pp.
Rinkevich B (2008) Management of coral reefs: We
have gone wrong when neglecting active reef
restoration.
Marine
Pollution
Bulletin
56(11):1821-1824
Ruiz-Jaen MC and Aide M (2005) Restoration
success: How is it being measured? Restoration
Ecology 13(3):569-577
Shafir S et al. (2006) Steps in the construction of
underwater coral nursery, an essential
component in reef restoration acts. Marine
Biology 149(3):679-687
Stone K et al. (2008) Factors influencing
community
participation
in
mangroves
restoration: A contingent valuation analysis.
Ocean and Coastal Management 51(6):476-484
Sutthacheep TYM and Petttongma R (2006) Coral
reef restoration projects in Thailand. Ocean and
Coastal Management 49(9-10):562-575